Issue - meetings

To receive an on update the progress of the implementation of the Cheshire East Libraries Service Review following the approval of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023-27.

The committee received the report which provided an update on the implementation of the Cheshire East Libraries Service Review following the approval of the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 2023-27.

A request was made for information to be provided on how the number of responses to this consultation compares to the average response rate to consultations within the Council. This information would be provided in a written response.

Cllr Wardlaw spoke on behalf of Cllr Clowes as a visiting member, referring to other areas of the Council that included their enhanced use of library venues and facilities over the 2023-25 period to meet their own MTFS savings and strategies and asked to what extent did this consultation take into account the MTFS commitments of other directorates. The committee were advised that while mitigations were in place, the proposal did not directly consider the MTFS commitments of other directorates.

Comments were put forward as part of the debate including:

-       Members felt they were not given choices as part of the MTFS and that there should be earlier engagement with members going forward

-       It was requested that when considering the MTFS, if there are aspects within that are going to be a significant change to the way in which services are delivered, that those consultations are shown clearly/separately to other proposals

-       It was acknowledged that the provision of libraries is a statutory service

-       Members thanked officers for doing all they could to minimise the impact

It was requested that it be recorded in the minutes that the proposal was carried with eight in favour and five against.

RESOLVED (by majority):

That the Environment and Communities Committee:

1.    Note the progress made to date in implementing the Libraries Service Review included as a specific proposal within the Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2023-27 as approved at Council on 22 February 2023, including the feedback from the recent public consultation exercise.

2.    Agree the final details of the changes to library opening hours, as included at Appendix C and the implementation programme.

3.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director - Place to take all necessary steps to implement the Libraries Service Review, and to make all consequent changes to service provision including the necessary staff restructure and consultations.

4.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director – Place to enter into funding agreements related to the ‘top up’ service offer.